by SJ McCoy
“Good morning. Are you here to take Troy out?”
He nodded. “You didn’t believe me last night when I said I was leaving for the right reasons, did you?”
She held his gaze. “I think that depends on what each of us consider to be the right reasons.”
He smiled. “That could get too complicated. What I meant was, I’d like us to start seeing each other, for real.”
“Does for real mean not just for sex?”
That took him aback a little. He hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward about it. He nodded. “It does.”
She gave him a long measured look.
“What?” He’d been hoping, no, if he was honest, he’d been expecting her to be pleased. She didn’t look it.
“So are you saying Ruby passed some kind of test last night and you’re prepared to give us a go now?”
Ah. He guessed that might not feel too good looking at it from where she sat. “Honestly?”
“Yes, please. I tend to prefer the truth.”
“Okay, honestly, when I came over last night, I came with that attitude—to see if Ruby could pass the test as you put it. But what I discovered, and what surprised me so much that I left in such a hurry, was that I passed the test. She’s the first kid I’ve ever had to do deal with, I didn’t know how to, and I didn’t think I wanted to.” He gave her a hopeful smile. “I guess we’re all afraid of the unknown. Actually hanging out with Ruby made me see that there’s nothing to be afraid of. She’s just another person, only smaller.”
Corinne smiled back. “And more opinionated, and more demanding.”
He held a hand up. “I sure as hell wasn’t going to go there!”
She laughed. “I know. But it’s true. And if you really do want us to start seeing each other for real, there’s no point in trying to gloss it over.”
He nodded. “I know. And there’s no saying how—or if—it will work out. I’m just saying I’d like to give it a go, if you’re interested.” He held her gaze. “Or did you like my first suggestion better?”
He could tell by the way her pupils dilated and that pulse started to flutter in her neck that she was more than interested in his first suggestion.
It was a long moment before she replied. “Since we’re being honest about all this, I’d take you up on your original suggestion if it was all that was on offer, but I like the idea of us seeing each other for real better.”
He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.
She was no longer smiling back. “Seriously, Beau. I don’t want you to feel you have to include Ruby, if it’s not what you want. I’d rather not put her through that. If all you’re after is no strings sex, be honest about it?”
He shook his head. “It’s not. I’m not making any promises that I won’t screw this up, but I’d like to give it a try.”
“Okay, then. No promises, no expectations. Deal?” She held her hand out to him.
He shook it. “Deal,” he replied, wondering as he did why her words bothered him. No promises, no expectations; he should feel relieved, but he didn’t.
“Beau!” called Ruby. “Look at me! Mr. Mason says I don’t need the lead rope anymore.”
“Good job, Ruby. You’re doing great.” He really needed to come up with some other words of encouragement and stop borrowing Mason’s.
“Soon me and Gypsy will be able to ride out with you and Troy, won’t we?”
He pursed his lips, he didn’t like the idea of being responsible for her out on the trails.
Mason saved him. “That won’t be for a long while yet. Now you’re off the lead rope we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Beau had to smile at the way Ruby nodded solemnly. “Yes, Mr. Mason. Sorry, Beau I have to go back to work now, I have a lot of work to do.” She reined Gypsy around and headed back out into the center of the arena.
Mason grinned at them. “She’s proving to be a star pupil.”
Corinne laughed. “I think that’s all down to her teacher. You’ve certainly got the hang of working with her; you bring out the best in her. I might be asking you for tips on how to handle her soon.”
“Me too,” said Beau. He didn’t miss his brother’s knowing look as he nodded and went after Ruby. He was surprised at himself. He didn’t like feeling outdone by Mason. He wanted to know how to bring out the best in Ruby. He had to hope it was more than just the old sibling rivalry.
Corinne raised an eyebrow at him. “So where do we go from here?”
He smiled. “I guess we make it up as we go along?”
She nodded. “It’s not my usual style, but I guess it’s our only option.”
“Believe me, it’s not mine either, but since we’re headed into unknown waters, all we can do is go with the flow.”
“Okay then, but can I ask one thing of you, set one condition?”
Uh-oh. Women setting conditions—that usually spelled trouble. He nodded. “What?”
“Just be honest with me about Ruby? If she drives you nuts, say so? I know she’s not easy; she’s my whole world and she drives me nuts sometimes, but she doesn’t deserve to be taken for a ride. Don’t humor her just to get on my good side?”
“I won’t.” He gave her a wry smile. “I don’t think I could. It’s like you said, no promises no expectations?”
“Agreed.”
“Okay, well I’m going to take Troy out. Can I stop to see you at the cabin when I get back?”
The way she hesitated made him wonder.
She shook her head. “Don’t go thinking I’m backing out already. It’s just that I agreed to go to Shane’s cookout for the guests later. Would you want to come?”
He thought about it. It wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind, but why not. “Sure.”
“Great.” Her smile was back. “Just come on over whenever you’re ready then.”
“Will do.”
It felt so weird to Beau walking up to the guest ranch holding Ruby’s hand. He could just imagine Shane’s face when he spotted them. He was going to give him so much grief! But what the hell, if he was going to do this, he was going to do it. Ruby squeezed his hand and smiled up at him. “Thank you for coming with us.”
Damn! She was cute when she wanted to be! “Thank you for inviting me.”
Corinne smiled at him. “Do you come out here much normally?”
He shook his head. “I come down to see my folks, I check in with Shane every now and then, or when it’s Mason and Gina’s turn to host dinner I come out to the cottage. Mostly I’m pretty busy up in town.”
“Why did you move to town?” asked Ruby. “If I had my horse here I would never move away.”
“I have my business in town. It’s a long way to drive every day.” Beau thought about his answer. Was that really why he’d moved to town? No, it wasn’t. It was a practical consideration, but he’d moved up to town to make the break from his family. He’d needed to move out of his parents’ place, they all had. Mason had taken the cabin, and, of course, Chance had gone in with him. It made sense since they were the two who worked the ranch. Shane had been away in the Navy at the time and he’d bunked in with them when he came back. He’d had to be out here too since he was building the guest ranch. Carter had moved out first—when he married Trisha, but even they had lived here, until Trisha cheated on him and it all went to hell. Carter had moved up to town to grow his landscaping business, but Beau had always believed that he’d moved away from bad memories as much as anything else. Now he lived just a few miles from the ranch, with Summer in the house that he’d sold them.
Beau himself had gone away to college, and by the time he came back, he’d felt like an outsider at the ranch. He had no reason to be here, and a lot of reasons to be in town. If he was honest he felt as though his place here and in the family had been usurped by Chance, so he’d gone his own way. Trying to prove that he didn’t need them, he could do great by himself.
Corinne gave him a questioning look.
He felt a hand come down on his shoulder. Shane had an annoying habit of appearing out of nowhere and doing that. “Did I just hear you right?”
Shit. Beau wished he hadn’t heard him at all! “I don’t know, what did you hear?” He wished that edge to his voice wasn’t there, but he couldn’t help it.
Shane surprised him by seeming to sense he shouldn’t go there. “I dunno, I just thought for a moment I might get to have my other big brother back on my doorstep.”
Beau gave him a hard stare.
Shane grinned, unperturbed. “I’d like that.” He smiled down at Ruby. “I think it’d be awesome if Beau moved back down here, don’t you?”
“Yes. Then we could see him every day!”
Beau didn’t know what to say to either of them. He smiled at them both and left it at that.
“Anyway. I’m glad you’re here,” said Shane. “Would you mind if I steal Corinne for a minute? There are a couple of people I’d like to introduce her to.”
Beau nodded. He hadn’t expected to be left alone with Ruby, but he could hardly argue. Corinne shot him an apologetic look as Shane led her away. He looked down at Ruby, not sure what to do.
She was looking around, surveying the people gathering in front of the lodge. Her face broke into a big grin as she pointed. “Summer Breese!”
Beau cringed. He’d thought only dogs could hear such high frequencies, but his ears convinced him otherwise.
Ruby tugged at his hand. “Can we go see, Summer? Pleeaase?”
He nodded, more than happy to oblige. He was happy to make an effort with the kid, but it sure would be easier if she were distracted by Summer.
Carter spotted them coming and put a protective arm around Summer’s shoulders, making Beau smile. It reassured him that he wasn’t the only one who was wary—or if he was honest, scared—of Ruby.
Summer, on the other hand, smiled when she saw them coming and held her arms out to Ruby who let go of Beau’s hand and went running to her.
Carter raised an eyebrow as he joined them. “Hey. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“He came with us,” said Ruby.
Carter grinned. “I can see that.”
Ruby wrapped her arms around Summer’s neck as she lifted her up. “And where’s your mom?”
Ruby looked around and pointed to where Corinne was standing talking with Shane and a group of guys Beau assumed were ranch guests. “There. She has to talk to people because this is her new job, but it’s okay.” She turned and reached her arms out to Beau. “I can stay with my Beau.”
Beau felt a momentary panic. He was responsible for her? And she was reaching out for him to hold her? He took a deep breath and took hold of her. Summer smiled as she passed her over. Ruby wrapped her arms around his neck and took him totally by surprise by landing a kiss on his cheek. Carter and Summer both laughed at the look on his face.
“He is my Beau!” Ruby sounded hurt, as though their laughter was at her.
He wasn’t sure who was most surprised when he planted a kiss on her cheek and said, “That’s right, pumpkin.” Where in the hell had that come from? Carter and Summer both looked stunned. Ruby looked as though she might float away on a happy cloud and he himself was left wondering what the hell he was playing at. He needed to get out of here! “Are the folks here?” he asked Carter.
Carter nodded. “They’re around somewhere.”
“Thanks. I wanted to have a word with them. Catch you later.” He turned and walked away, smiling at the way Ruby was still clinging to his neck with a big silly grin on her face. He thought back to what Wanda had said about her. What would it cost him to show her some kindness? And just look at what happened when he did! He hugged her a little tighter as he walked. She could be sweet, there was no denying it.
He spotted his parents sitting under a big tree with a couple of the guests. He’d come looking for them without considering the implications of doing so while carrying Ruby around. He wondered if he should put her down before they saw him. The way she was still clinging to him, he didn’t have the heart to. It was too late anyway. His mom had seen him, she tapped his dad who turned to look. Whatever expression he might have expected to see on their faces, it wasn’t what he saw. They both smiled at him and then at each other, as if they knew something he didn’t.
“Hey, Beau. I didn’t expect to see you here,” said his dad.
He nodded.
“But we’re so glad you are,” added his mom. How did she understand him so well? How did she know that he’d just been wondering why that was the first thing people would say to him. Why not, great to see you? Probably because they didn’t understand how touchy he was. His mom obviously did though.
His dad grinned at him. “And in the company of such a beautiful young lady.”
“Yeah, this is Ruby.”
“We’ve met before, haven’t we sweetie?” said his mom.
Ruby smiled. “Yes. Hello.”
Beau started to put her down, but she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. She was going to act shy? Wow!
His dad laughed. “Want to tell us how this happened?”
Beau shrugged.
Ruby turned her head to peek out at them. “My mommy has to talk to work people, so my Beau is taking care of me.”
His dad raised an eyebrow and his mom grinned at him.
He shrugged. There was no way this was going to be an easy conversation. “We should probably go find her.”
“Okay, we’ll catch up with you later.” The look his mom gave him told him that she’d be asking all kinds of questions just as soon as she got a chance.
Chapter Eleven
Shane came and tapped Corinne’s shoulder. “Can I borrow you for a minute?”
She made her excuses to the guests she’d been talking to and followed him away from them. “Is everything okay?”
“It sure is. I just figured you might need rescuing by now. This wasn’t supposed to be an all work evening and they’ve been hogging you for ages. I thought you might want to check in with Ruby…and Beau.”
“Oh, the poor guy. How’s he doing with her? Have you seen him?”
Shane laughed. “They’re doing just fine. In fact, judging from the reactions I’ve seen and heard, they are the golden couple of the party.
“Seriously?”
Shane nodded his head vigorously. “Seriously! I mean, c’mon, a tall dark handsome cowboy toting round a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed cutie pie. What’s not to love about that picture?”
“Toting?” Corinne wasn’t sure she understood. Well, she knew what it meant, but she couldn’t quite believe it.
Shane nodded again. “Apparently Summer had her, she reached out for her Beau, and he hasn’t put her down since.”
Corinne shook her head. He was probably hating every second of it. “I’d better go rescue him.”
Shane laughed. “That’s not why I came for you; I just thought you’d like to see.”
“Where are they?”
“Right over there.”
Corinne’s heart did an odd little flip in her chest when she saw them. Beau was indeed holding Ruby and she had her arms wrapped around his neck. He was chatting with a couple of guys she recognized, they worked at the ranch, though whether with the horses or the cattle she didn’t know. As she watched, Ruby yawned and rested her head on his shoulder. Beau smiled and smoothed her hair away from her face. One of the guys said something and they all laughed, though Beau looked a little embarrassed. She realized Shane was watching her.
“He’s a good guy, you know.”
She sighed.
“I don’t know what kind of first impression he’s made with you, but he really is a good guy when you take the time to get to know him.”
She turned to meet Shane’s gaze. “I don’t doubt it. It’s not me I’m worried about, it’
s Ruby, and him.”
“He did seem a bit scared of her at first, but hey so was I. We’ve never had any experience with little kids before, you can’t hold that against us.”
“I don’t. It’s just that I don’t want him to try it out only to find that she drives him nuts, and I don’t want her getting attached to him only to end up getting rejected. She doesn’t need that.”
Shane nodded. “He might not be used to little kids, but I do know he wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone.”
“I don’t think he would hurt her intentionally.” Corinne couldn’t bring herself to add what else she was thinking—but if he’s got his head up his ass, would he even realize if he did hurt her.
“Come on. Let’s go see them. This is so cute I may have to take pictures.”
Beau looked up as they reached him. He looked almost apologetic when he met Corinne’s gaze. “She says she’s tired.”
“Mommy!” Ruby lifted her head from Beau’s shoulder and gave her a sleepy little smile. She looked worn out.
“Hey, sweetie. Are you being good?”
She nodded. “Yes, and my Beau is taking care of me.” She lay her head back down and closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Beau. Let me take her.”
He shook his head. “She’s comfortable. We’re fine.”
“Don’t feel you have to stick around,” said Shane. “You’ve met everyone I wanted you to meet. Take her on home whenever you’re ready.”
Corinne would be more than happy to call it a night. She didn’t want to make Beau leave though.
“Can we go home now?” asked Ruby.
“Sure thing, pumpkin,” said Beau.
Corinne felt as though her mouth might have fallen open hearing him say that. She gave him a puzzled look.
He grinned back at her. “Hey, you’re the one who left us to our own devices, this is what we came up with. I’m her Beau, she’s my pumpkin. What can I say?”
Shane laughed. “I’m going to leave you guys to it.”
“Okay, goodnight, Shane.”
“See ya.” Corinne didn’t miss the look the brothers exchanged. She didn’t understand the dynamics of the Remington family yet, but she could see that they truly cared for each other.
